Elizabeth Craft Designs: Getting Started With Planners Part One

Elizabeth Craft Designs Planners

This will be a two-part post because there is a lot of information to cover! This first post will mainly focus on the A5 standard slim planner.  In addition to discussing Elizabeth Craft Designs and getting started with planners, the posts will cover what is needed, what are compatible companies, and so much more! But first, why invest time and money into crafting a planner for yourself?

Click on the image to enlarge the Suggested Uses infographic

What do you do with a paper planner?

Many people keep a planner for the calendar. It is a great way to keep your day, week, month, and year organized. Some people use it to keep track of appointments, school holidays, trips, practice schedules, work commitments, and general obligations. Other people use planners for aspirational purposes, such as goal setting, meal planning, weight, and exercise tracking, budgeting/spending tracking, self-care, or hobby scheduling, etc. And then there are people like me. We keep track of many of the above items and also lots of other fun things, such as art journaling, memory keeping, mini-travelogues, favorite quotes, gratitude journals, etc. Yes, there are apps for many of these things - but some of us like the feel of a pen in hand, the texture of the paper, and the ability to create something specifically for our own needs.

Getting Started - Materials

It may be worthwhile to evaluate your intended purpose. But, sometimes, as I create something I think of new ideas for using an item. Having a plan is not necessary when making a planner. That being said, some decisions will need to be made at the start. Are you making inserts for an existing planner? Are you creating a mini-book, cover-to-cover? How much do you want to create from scratch versus using ready-made materials? Do you want it to be clean and simple or filled with lots of bits and bobs?

We will delve into more details in the next post. But for purposes of getting started, let us assume you are all-in on the idea of crafting something from start to finish. Take the pieces that pertain to your needs from this information to make something that works specifically for you!

Choose the planner size. As previously mentioned, this post is geared toward an A5 planner. The TN (travelers notebook) sizes will be addressed in a future post. The photos and text that follow show the components and sizes of the die cuts from good beginner die sets with which to get started. The measurements are rounded to the nearest sixteenth of an inch for each individual cut item.

All of the cuts made from Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials 1

Planner Essentials - 1 

11 DIES

PAGE DIE SIZE: 5” X 8.25” (12.7CM X 20.9CM) 

Large Rounded Frame 3" also cuts interior mat 2 5/8"

Small Rounded Frame 2 1/4" also cuts interior mat 1 15/16"

Rectangle 1 1/4" x 5/8"

Tag Label (like on drawer fronts) 2" x 3/4"

Folding Round Tab - open 1 3/4" x 1", closed 7/8" x 1"

Stitched Circle - 1 1/2"

Scalloped TODAY - Scallop Frame Circle 1 9/16" also cuts circle with TODAY 1 5/16"

LOVE THIS Circle - 1 5/16"

YES Circle - 1 5/16", also cuts thin round frame 1 3/8"

Page Reinforcers - cuts 6 circles, approximately 1/2" each

All of the cuts made from Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials 2

Planner Essentials - 2

9 Dies - package says 8 dies

PAGE DIE SIZE: 5” X 8.25” (12.7CM X 20.9CM) 

Large Tag 2 1/2" x 4"

Small Tag  2 3/8" x 2 15/16"

Pocket with 3 Slots 2 13/16" x 2 1/4" Pocket width - 2 1/2", 3/16" between pockets, offcuts 2 1/2" x 3/16"

Thin round frame 1 7/16"

NOTED Circle - 1 5/16"

Arrow - 2 3/8" x 3/8"

date tab - 2 5/8" x 1/2"

details tab - 3 7/8" x 1/2"

All of the cuts made from Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials 10

Planner Essentials - 10

11 Dies - Package says 7

PAGE DIE SIZE: 4.7” x 8.25” (11.9 cm x 20.9 cm

Perforated Postage Stamps - four attached 1 3/8" x 5 3/8"

Smile Square Frame - 1 13/16"

Staff/Stave - 3" x 3/4", offcuts 2 13/16" x 1/8"

Round Swirly Design - 3 3/8" x 2 1/8"

Large Treble Clef - 11/16" x 1 13/16"

Small Treble Clef - 1/2" x 1 5/16"

Large Eighth Note - 5/8" x 1"

Small Eighth Note - 7/16" x 3/4"

Large Beamed Sixteenth Note- 13/16" x 7/8"

Small Beamed Sixteenth Note- 5/8" x 11/16"

All of the cuts made from Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials 41

Planner Essentials - 41 Rounded Corners Page

8 Dies

PAGE DIE SIZE: 4.7" x 8.27" (11.9 cm x 21 cm)

Stitched panel -3 13/16" x 7 3/4" 

Double Frame - 2 3/4" x 7 5/16", also cuts one stitched tag and one stitched mat each measuring - 2 5/16" x 3 1/8"

Vertical Numbers - 7/16" x 6 1/4"

Arrow Clip - 1 7/16" x 1 3/8"

Short Tab - 1 13/16" x 3/4"

Two longer Tabs each measuring - 2 1/16 x 11/16"

Planner Binder - Blank Canvas

This is a canvas color planner on both the inside and outside. It isn't made from canvas but can still be altered with paint, ink, or ephemera.  This A5 size planner binder comes with 6 binder rings, interior pockets, a tab for a pen or pencil, and a band closure. It measures 9" x 6.25". 

In a future post, we will talk about ways to alter planners and some of the coordinating products that are available for them.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. BY CLICKING ON THEM AND PURCHASING PRODUCTS THROUGH MY LINKS, I RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION FOR THE REFERRAL. THE ITEM WILL NOT COST YOU ANY MORE BY GOING THROUGH THIS LINK.

Products Mentioned:

Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials

Elizabeth Craft Designs - Planner Essentials Collection - Dies - Essential Set 1
Scrapbook.com

Elizabeth Craft Designs - Planner Essentials Collection - Dies - Essential Set 2
Scrapbook.com

Elizabeth Craft Designs - Planner Essentials Collection - Dies - Essential Set 10
Scrapbook.com

Elizabeth Craft Designs - Planner Essentials Collection - Dies - Essential Set 41 - Rounded Corners Page
Scrapbook.com

Elizabeth Craft Designs - Planner Essentials Collection - A5 Planner Binder - Blank Canvas
Scrapbook.com

Hip Pics Album - Lots of Photos!

This is a different kind of Pocket Scrapbooking. The mini Hip Pics kraft chipboard album from CTMH has eight white pocket pages which holds 16 - 6 x 4 pictures viewed in 3 3/4" square windows. The album is approximately 6 1/2" x 5 1/4" and is spiral bound to lie flat.

.

The album is very easy to fill.  It lends itself to simply sliding photos into the pockets and making a few notes. Or one can dress it up as much as she/he wants. Click on the photos to see more detail.

Because of the small size, it is a great way to use lots of scraps of cardstock or patterned paper and stray embellishments and die cuts.

Since I don't like to put away my leftovers from other projects this was a good excuse to use them up rather than have to tidy up!

Most of the papers are from the Chalk It Up paper pack.  Some of the thick chipboard shapes are from the same collection's Complements pack.  Many of the die cuts are from the CTMH Cricut Artbooking Collection.

Some of the words are segments cut from the larger rolls in each of CTMH's washi 3-roll tape packs: Carnival and Boardwalk .  These are being retired and are "while supplies last".

I mounted most of the pictures on scrap pieces of cardstock cut at 4 1/4" wide so they wouldn't slide around in the pocket.

The picture above, on the right-hand side, was mounted on a piece of patterned paper on the outside of the pocket.

Both of the pictures above were adhered directly on the pocket pages. This makes it even easier to scrapbook because the pictures tell the story.

Even though there are no pockets on the inside covers, I used those surfaces, too.

CTMH My Creations Hip Pics Album

This is the blank cover left unadorned just to show what the album looks like prior to putting one's own personal touches to it.  I'd love to see how you decorate your album!

Thank you for visiting today!

Beverly

The Basics of Artfully Sent - CTMH's Newest Cricut Cartridge

This very informative video shows examples of the various functions and types of artwork that can be quickly created using Artfully Sent.  By the way, this cartridge isn't just about making cards to give away, it also makes sized cards for pocket scrapbooking.


This second video gives more in-depth information about one of the coolest things the cartridge does - Pop Up Cards!

Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you for visiting!
Beverly

Albums for All Types of Scrapbooking

The new CTMH D-Ring and Post Bound My Legacy Albums have finally arrived!  You can see them here.
A quick video from Close To My Heart that explains the differences in the albums is posted below:


Also, here is a flyer with more information from CTMH:

Click on the photos to get a better view.  The second flyer discusses the new A la Carte Picture My Life pocket scrapbook program.

Please let me know if you have any questions about these beautiful new products.  To order, please visit my website here.
Thank you for visiting today!
Beverly

How to Assemble CTMH's Post Bound Albums

Hi Scrapbookers!
Monica shows us how to assemble the My Legacy Album in the first video and the second video is about Spine Expanders.  The first video is geared towards consultants, so there is a discussion about using the album in a sales setting.  The information about assembling is worthwhile, so I am going to post it with the hope that all viewers understand why it is presented in this manner.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Simple, Easy Card

CTMH Picture My Life Card  Layered On Card Base

I love quick projects.  And ones that use up leftover supplies are even better!  This card was made with scraps of cardstock, B & T paper, a piece of ribbon, a couple of leftover punched butterflies, and a Picture My Life Balloon Ride 4 x 6 card (from CTMH's pocket scrapbooking program.)  The sentiment is from the Give a Lift stamp set.  To complete the look, I used a couple of old Durables studs that are self-adhesive and inked the edges of the card and the rounded pieces of paper. It took less than 10 minutes to make.  Which is less time than it would have taken to file all of the scraps away!

Thank you for visiting!
Beverly

Introducing Pocket Scrapbooking with Picture My Life - lots of photos

 Picture My Life is a way to pair your photos with some beautiful printed cards to create quick and easy albums with very few tools or supplies.  The double-sided cards have space for journaling on one side and versatile quotes, sentiments or icons on the reverse.

This video shows how I used the Balloon Ride kit to create a fast album with pictures from a family trip.  I used a couple of extra Memory Protectors for some additional photos.  With the leftover PML cards, I made a few greeting cards to mail to friends. Pictures of the mailable cards are at the bottom of this post.

 There are eight different Picture My Life Scrapbooking Programs from CTMH.  Each of them include 122 card-stock weight cards, a cover sheet and 10 Memory Protectors.

Picture My Life Skylark Scrapbooking Program

Picture My Life Babycakes Scrapbooking Program

 

Picture My Life Laughing Lola Scrapbooking Program

Picture My Life Chantilly Scrapbooking Program

Picture My Life Later Sk8r Scrapbooking Program

Picture My Life Balloon Ride Scrapbooking Program

Picture My Life Avonlea Scrapbooking Program

 

Picture My Life Surf's Up Scrapbooking Program

Inside of card

 These cards were made from leftover cards from the Balloon Ride PML  Scrapbooking Program. 

Inside of card

 

Inside of card

Thank you for viewing this very long post!
Beverly

The New Spring/Summer 2014 CTMH Idea Book - Top Three Favorite Items

Click on image to view Idea Book online

February 1, 2014, was the release date for the new CTMH Idea Book and Catalog. There are many new, exclusive products available in each new book.  Here are a few of my top picks:

Click on image to view Embossing Promotion details

1. Large (5 x 7) Embossing Folders!  You can receive your favorite(s) for free with a purchase of colored cardstock packs! There are five different designs: Dot, Chevron, Damask, Stripe, and Quatrefoil. The Accessories page found here lists them all.

2. Picture My Life is a new program offering from CTMH. It is sort of like Project Life, but the program kit starts you off with a Cover Sheet and 10 Memory Protectors.  There are also 122 fabulous cards to insert in your pocket scrapbooking album.  They are sized at 3 x 4 and 4 x 6 inches to coordinate beautifully with your photos. It makes it easy to share your photos with minimal work but with lots of panache! There are 8 different collections.  Please visit here to see them all. Tomorrow's post will show a video of an album that I made using the Balloon Ride kit.  I also made some flat/mailable cards with some of the leftover cards.

CTMH Believe In Yourself C1574

3. I love stamps.  There are so many wonderful new images! It is hard to choose but this is one of my favorites. And (can't help myself!) here is another one:

The outline in red indicates which images are Cricut Artiste compatible

Also, there are some Australian designs that are NOT in the new USA Idea Book, but are available here. The first six sets on this linked page are in the Australian/New Zealand Idea Books. Here is a sneak peak at one of them:

CTMH Aussie Praises Stamp Set

If you'd like to order a new Idea Book please visit my website here. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you for visiting!
Beverly